Surf's Up!
by tetsuryu
Summary: Her voice is the delicate whispers of the ocean safe-kept in seashells, soothing and calm. It keeps him afloat amidst the waves, and in turn he makes sure she never drowns. - Kinabra Surfer AU
1. 01: take-off

Notes: Kinabra Surfer AU. This has been on my mind for a long time now, and I thought I'd love to contribute to the small amount of Kinabra fanfics! This will be a pretty lighthearted piece considering the angsty origins of the pairing, with some comedy along the way. There'll be glossaries at the end of each chapter to clarify any surfing terms used. Enjoy! :)

**Disclaimer:** Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail

* * *

**_Surf's Up!_**

_01: take-off_

He had always loved the ocean. The ocean was a form of escape, a place to obtain true tranquility as he melts into the wondrous blue, with the rush of water being only sound he could hear. The singing of the waves was his favourite melody, the only soundtrack he would listen to on repeat.

Similarly, surfing had always been a part of him. Growing up in a beachfront home, the ocean was never too far away, and with the family pastime being regular surfing trips, it was no wonder that he was initiated into the waves as soon as he could balance on his feet. He would never forget the feeling of riding on his first wave, the exhilaration and unadulterated glee at finally being able to fly on water.

He had never felt so _alive_.

He was what they'd considered a natural, being able to travel alarmingly well on a board amongst fierce waves. He glided along the unpredictable turns and twists of the water with an unrivalled grace, a surprising ease amongst nature's most unrestrained at such a young age.

However, just as surfing had brought about the greatest joy he had ever felt, it was the wild waves that had caused the pain, _pain, so much pain_, and the a loss so great that he never set foot on a polyurethane board ever again.

* * *

Loud cheers ring in Cobra's ears as he watches his friend do a pop-up and then a bottom turn, successfully riding the wave, before smacking the lip and doing a series of more difficult techniques. The water crashes onto his back as he pumps along the wave, a grin plastered onto his face. Cobra shakes his head at the confidence exuding from the dark form amongst the waves, as said surfer straightens his back in a soul arch.

"Cocky bastard." Says a voice beside him, and Cobra could only nod in agreement at Laxus' words.

"Why aren't you participating this time?" Cobra asks, turning his attention away from the competition and to his blonde friend.

Stretching on his chair, Laxus rolls his eyes. "I'm getting too old for these little competitions. 'Sides, I'm giving them a chance to win."

"I don't think they'll appreciate you saying that," Cobra smirks, as Laxus simply shrugs.

Both turn their attention back to Gajeel, who was finishing up his ride and heading towards the shore. "…and that was your crowd favourite, the Black Steel!" Gajeel grins and does a mock salute to the audience, before jogging past to join his friends.

Laxus grabs the bottle of water beside him and aims for Gajeel's head, letting go with quick swing. Gajeel dodges the bottle, laughing, before picking it off the sand and taking a big gulp. "Pity that didn't hit you."

"Gotta take more than that to knock me out," Gajeel notes smugly, loosening his long black hair out of its low ponytail. "Wasn't that just off the hook?!"

"You just _had_ to do a soul arch, didn't you?" Laxus sneered.

"Sad 'cause I did it better than ya?"

"Next time, the bottle will hit you in the face." Cobra shakes his head at his friends' bantering, turning to face the ocean once again as another contestant paddles into the water.

"Cobra, where's the rest of 'em?" asked Gajeel, his eyes searching amongst the crowd.

"Natsu's probably preparing for his turn, and Sting and Rogue are at the bar grabbing something to drink." Gajeel turns to look at Cobra, seemingly waiting for him to say more. "Ah, I missed the only person you wanted to know about, didn't I? Your 'Shrimp' is taking care of the shack."

Gajeel grins again, murmuring a thanks before grabbing his surfboard and running in the direction of the surf shop, where Cobra, Gajeel, and their three other friends worked part-time for their summer break. While Laxus had already graduated from university and taken over his grandfather's company, the other five resorted to summer jobs for extra cash while their families took care of the tuition fees. The local surf shack was a family business that had existed for many generations, and being its frequent patrons, it was only natural that they had chosen to work there for their summer holidays.

"He's so whipped," Laxus scoffs.

A snort, before, "and you aren't?"

"At least my girlfriend's working for me. I'm not the one chasing after her like a lapdog."

Despite Laxus' denial, Cobra knew that his friend was equally as 'whipped' as he had just labeled Gajeel to be. The two continued to watch the competition in silence, their faces expressionless.

"Party starts at 8." Laxus says, his gaze still focused on the surfing. "The way this is going, I'll be surprised if the winner's _not_ one of them." Amused, Cobra picks up his own water bottle and unscrews the lid.

"And you said _Gajeel_ was the cocky bastard."

* * *

introductory chapter! Kinana will appear in the next~

**Glossary**

_pop-up_: going from lying on the board to standing up in one jump

_bottom turn_: the first turn at the bottom of the wave

_smacking the lip_: moving towards the peak of the wave after a bottom turn

_pump_: an up and down carving movement that generates speed along a wave

_soul arch_: arching the back to demonstrate confidence and nonchalance while riding a wave

_off the hook_: positive phrase describing waves of a good size and shape


	2. 02: duck dive

Notes: Here's a short chapter detailing their first encounter, and a bit more of an insight into Cobra's character :) The others will be longer as we delve deeper into the plot, with each chapter being a new meeting. Enjoy!

**Warning****:** Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail

* * *

**Surf's Up!**

_02: duck dive_

As Laxus had predicted, Gajeel had been to one to snag the title of champion, and by 8pm, the franchise bar of Laxus' company was almost bursting with people, the promised party already in full swing. The bar sat near the middle of the beach but far away from the water, an alluring one-story establishment that beckoned its patrons closer. Furnished with walnut wood and clear glass panels, the bar utilised a soft, yellow light to establish a comfortable atmosphere. The counter was located indoors as opposed to the usual open-air of beach bars, but a veranda overlooking the ocean served its function for those preferring fresh air.

Cobra watches silently as his friends drink and laugh, wincing at fanfare that only seemed to grow louder by the second. He finally stands up, retiring to the counter and away from the racket his friends were making.

"Too noisy for your liking?" A slender hand comes into view, setting Cobra's order in front him. He regards the female with a raised eyebrow, taking in the purple hair and green eyes. She was dressed in a black button down shirt that had its front ends tied just above her belly button, accompanied with a pair of jeans shorts, no doubt the uniform of the bar.

"Hm," he acknowledges, receiving the glass and putting it to his lips.

"The veranda's empty, you know." Cobra's head snaps up at the mention of this, eyeing the bartender for a second before he glances at the open area of the bar. Realising that it was indeed bare, with most of the patrons enjoying the festivities indoors, he slides off his seat and heads for the door.

Finally able to enjoy some much-needed peace, Cobra settles down on a counter seat facing the ocean, taking another sip of his drink. As much as he was trying to enjoy spending time in the company of his friends, the noise level that always accompanied them was definitely not their best trait.

The waves crash against the shore as he stares out at the ocean, rising to substantial heights before making a loud descend, seemingly paying tribute the outstanding performance they had the privilege to witness earlier in the day.

It was no surprise to him that Gajeel had won the tournament. The Black Steel had always been one of the best, gliding on the water like a shadow, but with a sturdy hold on the fiercest waves that was unrivalled by any other surfer. Cobra scoffed lightly at the thought of his friend's alias. Not only did it suit his surfing style, but it was an accurate description of his appearance as well, long raven hair and a large, muscular build. A fond smile made its way across his face as reminisced the different nicknames of his friends.

_Salamander, Shadow Dragon, White Dragon, Lightning, Cobra-_

The smile dropped from Cobra's face, as he pondered his own alias. "Cobra, huh..." He scoffed lightly, fingers coming up to touch the skin of his right eye, permanently sewn shut with a large scar. Feeling a sense of anger and longing bubbling up within him, he made a move to numb it with alcohol, only to realise that he had already finished his drink while lost in his memories. He gripped the glass tighter, wanting to throw it against the mocking waves and scream at the despair that ate away-

"Need a refill?" The bartender's soft voice snaps him out of his trance, and he turns to see the girl with the purple hair step up to him with a full bottle in her hand. He finds himself nodding at her slight smile, and she reaches out to the glass held in his vice-like grip, the shock of her fingers on his skin causing him to let go of the glass completely. She fills it up with his previous order, setting it down in front of him again before turning to head back inside.

"Hey." he hears himself say, and he waits to meet her deep green eyes.

"Anything else I can get for you?"

"Are you new?" _Smooth_, his own sarcastic voice resounds in his head. "I mean, I've never seen you around before." The girl in front of him seemed unfazed by the question he had just blurted, her head cocking sideways as the smile on her face widens.

"Moved in last week, actually."

"And you got this job so easily? Last I checked, they didn't have any vacancies."

"Were you planning on working here, then?"

"What?" he splutters, confused, before, "oh, no, I work in the surf shack. Laxus is a friend, so..."

"As is Lisanna." she smiles, and Cobra nods, understanding. Of course being friends with the boss' girlfriend's sister would have it perks. Cobra falls silent, his gaze averting to the name tag on her uniform. "If there's nothing else you need, I'll be heading back in."

"..."

With an air of finality, she once again makes her way back into the bar.

"...Thanks, Kinana."

She turns her head smiles again, and she seems to understand every implication behind his simple statement.

"You're welcome."

* * *

**Glossary**

_duck dive_: pushing the board underwater, nose first, diving under an oncoming wave instead of riding it


	3. 03: floater

Thank you so much for all your positive feedback! :) This story will mainly feature only the dragon slayers, Levy, Lucy, Mirajane, Lisanna and Laki because it's really hard to juggle so many characters at the same time. Other characters might receive mentions or cameos but will not be fundamental in the story. Sorry!

**Warning:** Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail

* * *

_**Surf's Up!**_

_03: floater_

Cobra finds himself visiting the bar again the next day, despite not being a heavy drinker. To his pleasure, the bar was mostly empty, as it was still early afternoon and the previous night's festivities had drained most of it's regular customers. He scans the entirety of the shop quickly, before deciding to head up to the counter, choosing a seat by the veranda door.

"Looking to get drunk so early in the day?" A familiar voice says, and Cobra watches as Kinana makes her way over to him.

"No, I'm just here for..." he trails off as he realises he wasn't sure why he was there in the first place, but Kinana's expression remains pleasant despite his hesitation.

He watches as she begins to mix a drink, her hands a blur as she works systematically. Not long after, she presents a blue liquid in a cocktail glass, pushing it in front of his quizzical expression.

"The alcohol in it is barely detectable, unless you're a complete lightweight?" her lips quirk at that suggestion, but he makes no move to agree nor decline, eyeing the drink with a subdued curiousity. "It's on the house."

Cobra looks up at the bartender again, his own smirk mirroring that of hers. "You sure you're allowed to give free drinks to customers? Aren't you only a few days old?"

"I'll apologise if Laxus ever takes note of the tiny pinch on his supplies," she shrugs, and Cobra snorts. His old friend was never the meticulous one, preferring to look at the bigger picture and not considering the minute differences. It was his girlfriend, Mirajane, that had an eye for the details. She was so accustomed to the workings of the bar that she could just tell when something was out of place just a by taking a sweep of the area.

"I'm not sure if that's a good trait to have as an employee."

Kinana laughs at that statement, sending Cobra a wink. "It's a secret, then." she grins, before another patron demands her attention. With a nod of her head, she moves off to take the new order, leaving Cobra to his thoughts.

He looks at the drink Kinana had made for him again, before grabbing it and taking a sip. The coloured liquid swirls down his throat, and he was surprised to find it more refreshing than burning as he was used to. _There really is barely any alcohol in this._

Cobra finishes the drink quickly, a flash of a smile appearing on his face before he places the glass back on the counter and makes a move to leave. Aware of the gaze burning into his back, he throws up a hand in a slight wave, before stepping out into the bright sunshine.

* * *

Kinana watches until the man leaves, her hand gripping just a little tighter on the cloth she was using to wipe the countertop. She thought back to his spikey maroon hair and the single line over his right eye, and finds herself strangely attracted.

"On the house, eh?" she turns, surprised, only to meet the sly grin of her coworker. Lisanna steps out from the stock room, pinning her name badge on her black collared shirt.

"Oh shush, Lis, just put it on my tab if you're going to complain about it."

Lisanna simply laughs, stepping up to her friend. "Don't worry, my future brother-in-law can handle one lost drink."

Both girls fall silent as they begin to clean up the bar, despite Kinana being able to feel her friend's curiousity.

_Any moment now..._

"Is he hot?" she asks, and Kinana fights the urge to roll her eyes at the expected question.

"He's good-looking, I guess..."

"What's his name?" It was then Kinana realised that she had indeed never gotten his name. Seeing the apprehensive look on her friend's face, Lisanna grinned. "So busy flirting you forgot to ask for a name?"

"I... I wasn't flirting!"

"Sure..."

"I'm serious! It was just friendly conversation. He seemed a little forlorn even yesterday, so I thought he'd like a drink."

"Yesterday?! This has been going on since yesterday and you haven't even told me? I'm kinda offended, you know." Kinana finally rolls her eyes at this, shooting a hand forward to give the white-haired girl a shove. "Okay, okay. He's a friend of Laxus' right? Tell me how he looks like and I'll figure his name out."

"Um... he has maroon hair... and... a scar over his right eye..." Lisanna's smile drops at this, various emotions flitting across her face. From grief, to anger, to surprise, before finally settling on a somewhat hopeful expression.

"That's Cobra." she declares, and Kinana peruses the noun in her mind.

"That's not his real name, is it?"

"Nope." her friend seemed to refuse to say more, so Kinana remained silent. "...he wasn't always half-blind, you know." Lisanna finally says, and Kinana whips her head to look at the white-haired girl, who was staring at the floor. She waits patiently for an elaboration, but her friend seemed to snap out of her memories, turning to Kinana with her signature bright smile and pumping a fist in the air. "But that's a story for another day! Now let's get to work!"

Kinana shakes her head at her friend's antics, but chooses not to pry, well aware that amongst the tight-knit community at Magnolia Beach, she was but an outsider. It wasn't her place to delve into seemingly painful memories. Her thoughts flit to tanned skin and deep red hair once again, a small smile making its way across her face at the thought of seeing him again.

* * *

**Glossary:**

_floater_: riding up on the top of a breaking part of the wave, and coming down with it


	4. 04: goofy foot

Double Update! :) This chapter reveals some important things about the story, and the next will (finally) get the action going! Thank you for the reviews and I hope you'll enjoy these two chapters!

**Disclaimer:** Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail

* * *

_**Surf's Up!**_

_04: goofy foot_

"What do you mean he should get a cheap softboard?! This is going to be my son's first ever surfboard, and it needs to be the best you can offer." The lady spoke, slapping one hand on the counter while tightly gripping onto her son's wrist with another. She looked to be in her early 30s, with a slender figure and long brown hair tied in a long ponytail. The 8-year old standing by his mother's side seemed unfazed by his mothers anger, looking around the store curiously and searching for a surfboard that would suit his liking.

Gajeel sighed. "Look, yer kid's gonna beat the hell outta his board when he's learnin' and he's gonna fall over every 2nd wave-"

"What? My son is a surfing prodigy!" she insisted, eyebrows furrowing as she glared at the unlucky salesman.

"Woman, prodigy or not, he ain't gonna survive the big waves if ya give him a big board. Look at 'im! Scrawny and pale, he's gonna fall over and smash his head to pieces once a 3 foot wave hits 'im!"

Visibly affronted by his rudeness, her slim hand on the counter balls into a fist. "Excuse me? I'm sure my son is able to handle a professional board, _boy_." As Gajeel starts to contemplate throwing the lady out of the shop, a calmer voice interrupts their conversation.

"Softboards are much safer than fiberglass boards, miss." The maroon-haired man explains. "Fiberglass boards have really sharp fins and a sharp nose, which can cause some serious injuries. Prodigy or not, the waves are merciless, and he's going to fall at least a few times as he tries riding bigger waves. In the likely even that he gets hit by his board, he would not be severely injured." The lady huffs as she considers Cobra's words, glancing at the small boy beside her before her gaze softens.

"I guess you're right. I can't have my boy getting injured before he rides the big waves. _When_ he masters surfing, however, I'll be expecting the best surfboards lining up for his perusal!"

"Of course." Cobra nods, picking up the recommended beginner's board and placing it on the counter. "That'll be $100, thank you."

Both men watch as the mother and son leave, small hands now holding the new surfboard, a bright smile illuminating the young boy's face as he bounds out to the beach with his mother. As their latest customers vanish out of sight, Gajeel stretches his arms outwards before slumping against his chair.

"Damn it, I _hate_ arrogant mothers." He grumbles. Cobra simply smirks at his friend's annoyance, choosing to remain silent to the complaint. "Yer so much better at talkin' to people than I am, Cobra. Can't fuckin' understand why _I'm_ the one on shitty salesman duty."

"Your short fuse is precisely why you need training on how to… _interact_ with other humans." Cobra muses.

"As if! Training my ass. That old Marvell just wants to make me suffer!" A brief silence ensues, before, "It's gettin' late, let's close up as soon as we can."

Cobra's smirk widens at Gajeel's sly attempt to get off his shift early, noting the excitement rolling off of him in waves despite the nonchalance in his expression. "And might the reason for your excitement to leave be a certain 'Shorty' you're taking out to dinner?"

"Shut yer trap, idiot!"

"Huh, and I thought your eloquence would increase thanks to your intelligent girlfriend…"

"Shaddup!"

"Um, excuse me..." Both gazes snap up at the new intrusion, only to find a familiar purple hair in a black button down shirt.

"Oh, hey. Kinana, right?" Cobra greets. From behind him, Gajeel's eyebrows shoot up, but he remains silent.

She smiles and nods. "Finally stopped looking to drown your sorrows in alcohol and went to do something productive instead?"

Cobra smirked. "Too soon?"

"Am I losing a regular customer?"

"Possibly."

"Then yes." She grins.

"Well then, what I can I get for you, my loyal bartender?"

Kinana laughs, stepping further into the store. "I'm picking up Laki's order for her. Said she'd rather go early for her shift than enter the lions' den."

"Lions? Look who's talking." Cobra snorts, but heads to grab a box from behind the counter. "Damn, that's heavy. What kind of torture device is she building this time?"

"Now, now, we all know that it's _art_." she smirks, prompting a laugh from Cobra.

He presents the box to her and she reaches out to take it. "Need help bringing it over to the bar?" Kinana receives the box, judging it's weight.

"I think I'll be fine. I should probably leave before I'm actually late for my shift," she chuckles. "See you around," she smiles, almost shyly, and swiftly makes her way out the door.

A low whistle catches Cobra's attention, and he winces as he belatedly realises the presence of his coworker. "So, loyal bartender, you say?"

"...Shut up."

* * *

**Glossary**

_goofy foot_: surfing with the left foot on the back on the board, which is less common than using the right foot.


	5. 05: over the falls

Here's the second chapter of today's double update! :)

**Disclaimer:** Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail

* * *

**_Surf's Up!_**

_05: over the falls_

"Suntanning, are we?" Kinana opens her eyes, startled, meeting an onyx eye flickering with amusement. It was Kinana's well-earned day-off, and she figured that there was no way better to spend it than to physically experience the beach she was so used to staring at from the counter.

Cobra smirks down at her, and Kinana is suddenly overly conscious of the fact that she was only clad in her green bikini, lying on a towel amidst the silver sand. Clearing her throat and sitting up, she nods a yes. "Care to join?"

"I think I'm tan enough," he chuckles, but moves to sit beside Kinana as she scoots over.

Kinana eyes his dark, bronze skin and finds herself agreeing. "Don't worry, I've got enough sunscreen for you to lather your skin white." she mocks, and Cobra only shakes his head.

"So, is this your first day-off?"

"Yup. I haven't gotten a chance to actually enjoy the beach, so here I am."

"That's good, any longer cooped up in that dark bar and you'll be the resident vampire."

She snorts at his statement. "Hence why I'm taking the glorious opportunity to get a tan."

"Maybe I'll join you, then," he states, taking off his shirt in one clean swipe. Kinana promptly looks away, despite having gotten a delicious eyeful of his toned torso already.

"I don't think you should. Any longer in this sun and you'll be blending into the bar's walls." she jokes, using his own words against him.

Cobra's smirk widens. "Where's that sunscreen you were talking about, then?"

* * *

"Holy shit, is that _Cobra_?!" Sting gasps, almost falling off his chair just by leaning too far front. Rogue looks up from where he was arranging some surf equipment, following the direction of his friend's finger, eyes widening in surprise. "He... he's laughing! With a girl!"

Rogue nods his head unconsciously, his eyes fixed onto the two figures in the near distance.

"Oh no, the world is going to end!" Sting shrieks, clamouring onto his chair to get a better look, only to end up hitting his head on the ceiling of the surf shack.

"I never thought I'd live to see Cobra hitting on a girl," Rogue muses.

"What's this about Cobra and a girl?" A new voice says, bursting from the staff room and walking up to the counter. Lucy squints into the bright sun, before her eyes settle on two familiar backs. "Oh my god! That's Kinana!"

Both men turn to look at her in shock. "You know her?" asks Rogue, as Lucy nods fervently, a smile already lighting up her face.

"She's the one I told you guys about, remember? The one that's friends with Laki and Lisanna and only recently moved over?"

"Wait, that's her?" Sting gapes, ditching his spot behind the counter to move towards the entrance for a better view. "But, but Laki said she was grouchy and fat and had an Afro!" he all but screams.

Lucy rolls her eyes. "Obviously she said that so that guys like you wouldn't try to get with her. Really now, you've known Laki for so long and you still believe every word she says?"

"Damn you, Laki! Should've told us your friend was hot!" he grumbles. "Now Cobra's made a move and we're all doomed. There's no way she'll even give us a second glance when a tall, dark, and handsome man is all up in her face!"

"Tall, dark, and handsome?" Rogue repeats. "You sure you're not gay, Sting?"

"Shut up!" Sting wails, his eyes still trained on the two figures. A 'click' sound draws hit attention, and he turns only to stare, shocked, at Lucy with her phone held in front of her face. "Are you taking _pictures_?"

Lucy shrugs casually. "You'll never know when you need blackmail material."

Sting's eyes light up at this, and he quickly scrambles to grab his phone off the desk, leaving Rogue to sigh as he silently watches his friends' excitement grow.

* * *

"Look out!" A voice calls, followed by loud scream, shocking both Cobra and Kinana in the lull of their conversation. Cobra watches as Gajeel runs towards the ocean, a surfboard tucked under an arm and a blue-haired girl over his shoulder. Said girl was beating her fists on his back, yelling for him to put her down, but the wide grin on her face betrayed her apparent reluctance. Gajeel unceremoniously dumps his girlfriend into the ocean, laughing as she surfaces and reaches to pull him down.

"That's the guy that won the other day, isn't he?" Kinana asks, and Cobra nods in affirmation. "So _that's_ Levy's boyfriend." She mumbles. Cobra tears his eye away from the couple to look at her, smiling at her curious expression.

"Quite the first impression, hey?"

"That's an understatement."

"Don't worry, he's not nearly half as scary as he looks."

"From Levy's stories, I'd thought he'd look more… preppy."

Cobra snorts. "Preppy? _Gajeel? _Just what stories have Levy been feeding you guys?"

"Stories of a sweet boyfriend with an irritating habit of calling her various nicknames related to her height… or lack thereof." Both Cobra and Kinana share a laugh at this, none of them strangers to one of the bluenette's biggest insecurities. They continue to watch the surfers in silence, before Kinana speaks up. "What about you, then?"

"Hm?"

"What about you? Are _you_ as scary as you look?" Out of his peripheral vision, Cobra could see her big green eyes staring at his face, and he shrugs.

"Do you find me scary?"

"Well, you did seem intimidating the first time I saw you."

"Oh? And when was that?"

"First day in the town. Laki was bringing me around and I saw you at the surf shack, sitting behind the counter, all brooding and mysterious."

"And now?"

"Now? You're pretty cool. Funnier and friendlier that I'd thought you'd be, at least. Almost, almost _outgoing_, I dare say."

"…That's nice to know." A ghost of a smile appears on his face, as he ponders her words. _Outgoing_,_ huh? Haven't heard that in a while. _"In my case, I'd say you're a lot wittier than I'd expected."

"Oh, did I ask?"

Cobra narrows his eyes while she looks away, front teeth biting on her lower lip to stop the grin threatening to spill across her face. "Now that's just mean, Kinana," he chastises, voice laced with mirth.

Kinana laughs, but doesn't reply, choosing to focus her attention back to the ocean. After Levy had detangled herself from Gajeel, she had ran to grab her surfboard, not wasting a moment before jumping into the water. Levy then back-paddled Gajeel, whooping with joy as he stared at her incredulously from the water. Gajeel leaps at Levy when she comes down from the wave, causing her to fall off her surfboard and into the water. She immediately attempts to punish him when she surfaces, pushing his head underwater and climbing onto his shoulders to keep him locked in place. Gajeel takes the opportunity and stands, his hands coming around her shins to hold her in place. Levy yelps at the sudden rise, before laughing and pulling at Gajeel's hair.

"Giddy up, horsie!" Levy cries, and Gajeel sways dangerously to scare her.

"Ya should be thankful 'm lettin' experience the air up there fer once, short stack!" he laughs, but it quickly turns into a shout of pain as Levy tugs harder on his hair.

"I _said, _giddy up!" A smirk makes it ways across Gajeel's face, and he sprints as fast as he possibly could in the water, only to lose balance and fall over as a wave collides with his side. Levy's screams were cut off as she splashes into the blue, but is quickly pulled up to stand by the cackling Gajeel.

Kinana smiles at the couple's interactions, their surfboards now floating by their sides, abandoned. She turns to look at her company, who was, like she had been, staring at the ocean, carefully expressionless.

"Say, do you surf?" Kinana questions. Cobra seems to jump in shock at her enquiry, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes before he turns back to look at the horizon. He swallows visibly, his throat suddenly feeling dry.

"I…" He coughs. "No… I don't."

He refuses to elaborate, and silence once again falls upon the pair, only that it seemed more tense than it previously had been. Standing up suddenly, Cobra grabs his shirt from where it lay on Kinana's beach towel, before clearing his throat.

"I… I've got to go… The… um, the sun is setting." Kinana stares at his obvious discomfort, but makes no move to stop his leave. "I'll see you around," he mutters, before he turns and stalks away in the direction of the parking lot.

_What's up with him? _Kinana blinks at the empty spot where he once stood, her brows furrowing as she turns to the ocean for the last time and watches the sun set.

* * *

**Glossary**

_over the falls_: when the surfer falls of the board is sucked back over the top of the wave (in a circular motion) as it breaks, and free-falls down with the lip – the most powerful part of the wave

_back-paddle_: stealing the wave from another surfer by paddling around the person's back to get the best position


	6. extra: line-up

Hey guys! Thank you for all your reviews and follows/favourites :) The next chapter is taking awhile because I'm going through the whole plot line again and deciding whether I want to change it or not, so here's a bonus chapter to hopefully tide you guys over till then! It's pretty short but it gives an insight the others' views about Kinabra and it's not essential to the main storyline so you can skip this if you want to! And also the ending is a hint about the next chapter~ Thank you for your patience guys I really appreciate it :)

**Disclaimer:** Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail

* * *

_**Surf's Up!**_

_extra: line-up_

The tense silence only seemed to thicken as the seconds ticked past, but none of them uttered a single word, only staring at the glass table they were currently crowded around. The group of friends – conspirators, really – had gathered at their only pinkette's humble abode, hoping to discuss the single, most pressing topic that demanded their attention.

Someone inhaled sharply. "Houston, we have a problem." Sting's words seemed to cut the tension cleanly in half, as the rest of them stared at him with unamused expressions. "What? I just really wanted to try saying that." Gajeel snorted at the joyful expression on his blonde friend's face, nudging the girl in his arms to speak up.

"Guys, we all know we're here just to gossip about Cobra and Kinana, so can we drop the whole top-secret-meeting act and actually start the discussion?" Levy sighs.

"How does Kinana look like again?" Natsu spoke up. "I mean, I haven't actually spoken to her."

"Neither have we!" Sting exclaimed.

"But we _spied_ on them…" Rogue points out, while Lucy hands her phone to Natsu, Kinana's smiling face on her screen.

"Hmm, she's pretty!"

"I have to say, I haven't seen Cobra so friendly in ages!" Lisanna squeals.

Laki groaned at her friend's apparent excitement. "I _tried_ to make sure none of you would touch her, what with making her sound really disgusting and all. Ugh, Cobra probably wasn't even listening when I was speaking."

"I never knew Cobra was capable of anything beyond a smirk, but you learn something new every day." Nodding, Sting leans back into cushions.

"Wow, I really need to speak to this Kinana chick!" Natsu bounces in his seat, only to be forcefully held in place by his blonde girlfriend.

"God, Natsu, _stop bouncing_! And Kinana isn't some 'chick' you can mock." She frowns.

"Aye, she's his 'loyal bartender'." Gajeel announces.

"Oh yes! They've had a few run-ins at the bar, and Kinana even gave him a free drink."

At this, Laxus sits up straighter, opening his mouth for the first time that night. "Wait, what's this about free drinks?"

"Um…"

"Forget about that, Laxus! A free drink is nothing if it means the birth of a new couple." Mirajane, also fondly known as the resident matchmaker, dismisses her partner's concern with a wave of her hand, focusing her eyes on her sister instead. "So, what does Kinana think of our dear snake?"

A sly smile now plastered on Lisanna's face, she leans forward into the circle. "I'd say she's interested."

"She'd be good for him," says Lucy. "I reckon he needs the distraction."

Natsu nods vigorously, the momentum of which causing the sofa he shared with Lucy to shake once again. "'Bout time he found a new hobby."

"Natsu, I said _stop_! Also, Kinana is _not_ a hobby. Seriously, will you start thinking of her as a human being?"

"…Sorry Luce…"

"Natsu's right, though," Levy ponders. "Somewhat, at least. Ever since _that_, he's pretty much become like a Mills and Boon story, recycling the same basic plotline over and over again until it's way too predictable."

"That's true. All he ever does now seems to be either going to the university or heading to the surf shack, with the only exception being one of our occasional parties. When he's not at any of those places, he'll be rotting away at home watching movies on the couch," affirms Rogue.

"And summer break has managed to knock one of his options clean out of his list." Natsu finishes.

The group falls silent once again, each member of the group considering the words that had been presented.

"I say, we give them a push in the right direction."

"But Mira, I don't think we should interfere… Cobra might take it the wrong way!"

"I agree with Levy! Plus Cobra's super perceptive, he'll find out once we try to make a move!"

"No, but they need it! Cobra's _never_ going to do anything."

"It's not very nice of us to though…"

"Guys…" the bickering group halts their chatter abruptly as Laki raises her hand. "…look," she simply says, a slender finger pointing towards the veranda overlooking the beach.

The collective line of sight of the conspirators swivel towards the direction their lavender-haired friend was pointing at, finding the two objects of their fond discussion trekking through the sand, sharing a lighthearted conversation.

Laki shakes her head. "Well… I say… we don't need to do anything at all."

* * *

**Glossary**

_line-up:_ the area where the waves start to break, and where most surfers are positioned in order to catch them


	7. 06: aerial

Sorry for the wait! I hope you guys'll like this chapter~

**Disclaimer**: Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail

* * *

Cobra sighed for the umpteenth time as he bends down to lock the shutters in place. He'd been the unlucky one to draw the short straw and was chosen to do the closing up for the day. His 'friends', Natsu and Lucy, had bolted as soon as the lots were drawn, calling a goodbye over their shoulders as they left hand-in-hand.

Pocketing the keys, he begins his walk through the sand, the evening light illuminating the silver beneath his feet. He closes his eye and takes in a deep breath, enjoying the tranquility of the beach after hours. He had always loved the natural sounds of the beach, unpolluted by its rowdy patrons. He falls into a gentle trance, listening to the waves as they collide against the shore.

"…Cobra?" a soft voice brings him back to reality, but he finds that instead of disrupting the soothing sound of the waves, it complemented them, the light tone meshing well with the repetitive melody. Cobra regards the familiar figure lazily, giving an affirmative nod. "You're the unlucky one chosen for closing duty?"

Cobra scoffs. "Yeah, Natsu and Lucy probably planned it just so they could go on a date, bastards. How about you? I didn't know the bar closed this early."

"It does on Sunday nights," she smiled. "Prevents a drunk Monday morning." Cobra hums in reply, as Kinana falls into step with him, both silently enjoying each other's company.

"Sorry about the other day," Cobra speaks up after awhile. "I was just… caught off guard."

"Oh, don't worry about it," replied Kinana, and a comfortable silence engulfs the pair once again.

"…I used to, you know."

"Hm?"

"Surf, I mean." He stares unseeingly into the distance. "I loved the waves, I was born into them, grew up challenged by them, and finally gained some sort of mastery over them."

Kinana remains quiet as she listens to his voice, listening to the raw emotion that was usually careful concealed. Her feet sink deeper into the silver sand with every step she takes, feeling warm despite the ocean wind. She tentatively glances upwards at his face, the evening sunlight illuminating his contemplative expression. She waits patiently.

"I was the biggest idiot ever," he scoffs bitterly. "Too damn proud for my own good." He doesn't elaborate, and she doesn't pry. The two continue their trek, destination unknown but neither wanting to end their current journey. He takes a deep breath. "You're… not going to ask why?"

"You'd tell me when you want to." She shrugs.

"Ah, playing the 'understanding friend' card, are we?" He teases, but she only smiles in reply. "So, does the bar sell actual food and not just various types of alcohol?"

"You're seriously asking me this question?"

"Well, yes."

"I'm sure Laxus would be ecstatic to know that in the twenty odd years that they've been friends, Cobra has never bothered support his family business."

Cobra snorts. "I do _lots _of 'supporting', I'd say."

"That employee-prohibited, not-for-sale stash of booze at the back belongs to you, then?"

"I'm not denying," he raises both hands in a mock surrender, and Kinana laughs. "Hey, I've always wanted to ask, but why'd you move to the ocean, anyway?"

"Oh, um, I…. It's a really stupid reason…"

"I think I've seen enough stupidity at the surf shack on a daily basis to handle whatever you're about to throw at me." Kinana shakes her head fervently, and Cobra raises an eyebrow. "Not gonna share?"

"Nope."

"And here I thought we'd established a friendship."

Kinana grins. "Fine then, I'll show you." She turns and begins to head in the direction they'd come from, Cobra tagging behind, his features painted in an amused expression. Kinana stops at the back door of the bar, unlocking it with the key in her pocket. Both step inside quietly, but Cobra lingers in the doorway as Kinana ventures deeper in. She points at something in the dim light, and he squints to see what it is. "That's your stack of beer right there."

"Huh, that's less than what I'd expected." She humours him with a chuckle, before emerging from the shadows once again, holding something strikingly familiar under one arm. "You're kidding…"

"This was how I met Laki and Lisanna back at university," she tells him, lugging the object out through the door Cobra held open. He follows her outside, and she continues her explanation as she locks up the bar again. "Fell in love right from the start."

Leaving him to follow behind her, she marches down the sand with a new purpose. She stops just before the water touches her feet, stripping out of her uniform to reveal her bikini. Cobra gulps and averts his eyes, his discomfort increasing exponentially.

"You're really doing this? Right after I almost spilled my sob story?"

"I'm carefree but I'm not _inconsiderate_," she says, beginning her journey into the ocean. The orange of the sun reflecting on the surface of the water caused it to turn a stunning emerald, the waves rising to considerable heights as they near the shoreline. "That's why, you're just going to watch me."

"You're serious?! At this time of the day?!"

She laughs and breaks into a run, as Cobra stares after her, shocked. With a loud cheer, she throws herself onto her surfboard, paddling into the incoming wave. "This is why I moved to the beach!"

Cobra blinks as he registers the previous events, the tips of his mouth unconsciously turning upwards at her boldness and the plain absurdity of the situation. He watches as she drops into her first wave of the evening, the brightest smile illuminating her happy face.

"Surf's up, Cobra! It's time to hit the waves!"

* * *

**Glossary:**

_aerial_: riding the board briefly into the air above the wave, landing back upon the wave, and continuing to ride

_drop in_: dropping into/engaging the wave, most often as part of standing up


	8. 07: point break

Sorry for the long wait! :) I hope you'll enjoy this chapter and the long-awaited appearance of a special character! :)

**Disclaimer: **Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail

* * *

Neither Cobra nor Kinana were sure how it happened, but somehow the two of them fell into some sort of routine.

"Okay, now I'm a hundred percent sure you're stalking me."

"Excuse me?"

"This is the third time I'm seeing you this week!"

Whenever their shifts exactly coincided (which became increasingly frequent once their friends had caught a whiff of their plans), they'd meet up at the end of it, taking a short stroll down the beach before parting when sand met concrete. Over the course of the week, they'd gained a better understanding of each other, quickly becoming unlikely friends.

More often than not, Kinana would go for a surf after work, lugging the surfboard Cobra had long gotten used to behind her as she emerges from the back door of the bar. Cobra would sigh and shake his head, but still follow her down to the waves, watching her dive into the water and emerge while balanced on her surfboard. Accompanying the twinge of nostalgia watching her would bring, there was a hint of fear, something he was entirely unfamiliar with when watching someone surf. Even after he had stopped surfing, he had never actually been scared for his friends, knowing that they were seasoned surfers and completely in control. Despite having a first-hand experience of Kinana's skills, which were very much competent, Cobra couldn't shake the pinch of doubt that made him uneasy.

He would push the nagging worry to the back of his mind, however, smirking at his companion as she tore through the water, laughter reverberating from her form.

"And you'd think a day of work would drain a person's energy levels," he'd muse as she began to emerge from the water.

"Surfing refreshes me," she'd reply, before she grabbed her bag off the sand and headed in the direction of the housing estates. Cobra would pick up his pace to match with hers, the unsettling feeling dispersing once his friend was out of the water.

A similar dread was currently plaguing Cobra, as he bore holes into the entrance of the surf shop, his expression twisted into a slight scowl. If today was any other day, Cobra was certain that he would well be on his way down the beach, with a certain purple-haired lady by his side. Maybe he'd even treat her to a drink at the bar, seeing as she was currently the only non-annoying friend that he had.

However, whatever desires he had had to get out of his workplace were immediately kissed goodbye, as the silhouette of a tall, muscular male appeared in the doorway. Beside Cobra, Gajeel grunted a greeting, lifting his legs down from the counter and standing up to approach said male. Laxus stepped into the small surf shack, his face set into a grimace. With a nod, Laxus moved to the side, and Cobra swallowed a sigh as he caught sight of the person that had previously been hidden by Laxus' broad frame. Cobra remained in his seat even as his friends rushed up to the new arrival, his vision focusing on Natsu who was pushing everyone but Lucy out of the way in order to get to the front.

In Cobra's honest opinion, Rogue was probably the only sane one out of the bunch, he too deciding to hang back from the small crowd and wait till it'd dispersed. His scowl deepened as he heard Levy and Lucy gushing, accompanied by Natsu and Sting's boisterous laughter. _Noisy dumbasses._ Laxus and Gajeel flanked the guest like bodyguards, shooting the tiny head in between them fond grins, and Rogue finally began towards the source of the commotion. As the initial excitement died down, Cobra concluded it was finally time to make his move, as he slowly stood up from his chair, ambling slowly to the small figure in the midst of the mess.

"This place turns into a damn marketplace whenever you're here, brat." He grumbles, coming to stop in front of the figure. "Don't know how many times I have to tell them about my sensitive hearing before it sticks in their big heads."

"I'm sorry, Cobra! I think everyone's just really excited!"

Cobra eyes the bluenette in front of him and shakes his head, the scowl on his face dissolving in place of a light smirk. "Welcome home, Wendy."

* * *

Kinana places the last of the cocktail glasses onto the drying rack, lifting a finger to turn off the tap before removing her rubber gloves and placing them neatly on the rack as well. Stretching, she hums contentedly and eyes her handiwork proudly. She had been tasked to wash the drinking cups, and she believed she had _done a pretty good job_, _thank you very much_.

Looking up at the time, she sighed and pushed herself off of the basin counter, heading out of the kitchen area and into the bar. She had been requested to work extra today, with double pay, as Laxus had said he had an important gathering later in the evening and required help to serve the drinks. Kinana wouldn't have rejected, not only because Laxus and the other staff members had long since become her friends, but also because she would be getting the extra money that she needed for college.

As Kinana emerged from kitchen, she found that besides the bar's manager, Mirajane, and her shift-mate Lisanna, their other coworker Laki had also taken on the extra shift, despite it being her day off. All three were in an awfully gleeful mood, which would otherwise be unusual due to working overtime. Sharing greetings with her friend, her curiousity was difficult to suppress, and she soon found herself asking the very question she'd been pondering over.

"So, what's the special event?"

Mirajane, who was standing the closest by, immediately perked up at the enquiry, her bright smile growing wider as she began to explain. "A friend of ours is coming home from boarding school, so we're all really excited. She's still in high school so she's basically a baby to all of us," she gushed, reminiscing. "Her name's Wendy, and she's an absolute sweetheart. You'll love her!"

* * *

As the last of the day's patrons dwindled out of the bar, its employees steeled themselves for the madness that was sure to follow. Almost immediately after the last customer had left, the doors of the bar burst open, revealing a group of boys whose faces Kinana had long gotten used to – despite having ever spoken to only two of them. As the rowdy group made their way into her workplace, so did Kinana's friends, who were acquainted with the boys in the most emotional ways possible. She'd almost missed the shock of long, sapphire hair that was hidden between the towering figures of her older friends, but Kinana had known what to look for. She soon found herself offering a smile to the wide hazel eyes that glimmered as Wendy returned the smile with her own.

The group quickly settled down near the counter, and Kinana busied herself with preparing the orders that were rapidly fired her way, well aware of the absence of a certain redhead. Over time, her friends had sidled up to her to offer a greeting, which she had gladly reciprocated, but it wasn't until the bar's current patrons had finally settled down with their drinks that the only one who felt left out was initiated into the group.

"Mira! Do you have a marker?" yelled the man with light blonde hair. It was spiked in a similar fashion as the pinkette beside him, and Kinana wondered if they were brothers in some way. Mirajane had immediately produced a marker from the back office, and Kinana averted her eyes as said man's gaze flickered in the direction of the bar.

Kinana's attention was captured quickly, however, as an arm appeared in her line of sight, resting on the countertop, and she followed the arm up to see the bright yellow head and mischievous… eye?

"Hey, I'm Sting," came the voice, and Kinana could only blink bewilderedly at the sight. Sting, as he had called himself, was smirking at her, but instead of looking attractive as he appeared to be portraying, it was an awkward lopsided grimace due to the line drawn cleanly down his closed right eye with a marker. "Do you want to be my loyal bartender?"

"…What?" She was vaguely aware that everyone in the room had their eyes focused on their interaction, and Sting's smirk – grimace – only widened.

"I mean, you're pretty cute, and I'm pretty cute too, so it'd be really awesome if we could hang out together after work sometime. You could even show me some of your surfing tricks!"

"…" Kinana could only gape at what the man – with a poorly drawn scar – was suggesting, and felt her cheeks begin to heat up as she realised that _he was_ _hitting on her_, while trying to be someone else.

At her lack of response, Sting's expression fell, and he opened his right eye and sighed. "Damn it! Is it the hair? Is maroon your favourite colour? Because I can totally dye it for you- ow!"

He was cut off by a girl much smaller in size, bounding up and giving him a quick cuff across his head. Wendy, Kinana recognised, was rolling her eyes at the cries of pain Sting was currently producing, and she lifted her leg to kick him off the stool. The blush on Kinana's face only burned brighter as Wendy turned and gave her a megawatt smile, extending a hand out in greeting.

"You must be Kinana, I'm Wendy! I've heard a lot about you from the rest of them."

Hesitantly shaking the outstretched hand, Kinana offered a sheepish smile. "I… hope they've been good things…"

"Oh! Definitely! They're all about this amazing woman that has entered our resident grump's life and turned it into one of rainbows and unicorns!" Wendy grinned. Just as Kinana thought she couldn't be any more embarrassed, the door to bar swung open again, revealing the only one late to the party.

"There's our regular customer!"

Cobra raised an eyebrow at his friends, suspicion immediately crossing his features and he eyed the grins and smirks shot his way. A quick survey of the room made him realise that with Kinana's face being as red as a cherry, along with a laughing Wendy and an abandoned Sting, who lay on the floor in a heap, his friends had undoubtedly decided to tease her about their "budding relationship", as they had so fondly dubbed.

"And what mess do I have to clean up this time?" he groaned, fully stepping into the bar. His feet unconsciously brought him to the counter, and he naturally slid into the seat right in front Kinana's usual work station. Wendy only guffawed as Sting picked himself up and shook his head sadly at Cobra, who had finally noticed the _addition_ Sting had made to his face. "…Sting, you must be the biggest idiot _ever_."

Sting raised a hand and placed it on Cobra's shoulder somberly. "I've confirmed that it is not your quirky appearance that she finds attractive, my friend. You are one lucky- holy shit!" Sting immediately ducked as Cobra swung at him with his fist, before moving to pick up the chair beside him and threatening to smash it in Sting's face. "Okay, calm down, my dear friend, take care of your loyal bartender! You'd think she's drunk with how red her face is turning!"

Cobra turned his gaze to said bartender, who was hiding her face behind her hands and shifting uncomfortably. Sensing the atmosphere, Laki grabbed Sting by the ear and dragged him away. "Come here, you dimwit. Looks like you need a trial on my artworks..."

"Sorry 'bout that," mumbled Cobra, as he turned to face Kinana completely. She slowly lowered her hands, but her gaze remained fix on the countertop. "They're idiots, the whole lot of them."

"That's okay…"

"I'm really sorry," he sighed, sensing her discomfort. "Whatever stupid shit he said, just ignore it. It can't be worth much anyway."

"I heard that!"

"Don't run away, you dumb blonde!"

Cobra heaves another sigh, shooting Kinana an apologetic glance. A giggle escapes her at his exasperation, and Cobra soon finds himself smiling as well. Wendy eyes the couple's interaction, resisting the urge to squeal in happiness. Who knew she'd come home to a blossoming relationship? She climbs onto the table then, clearing her throat to raise the others' attention.

"So guys, my trip home isn't purely for vacation, this time." She explains, waving her hands around in a flourish. "My boarding school's organizing a night market, but we couldn't use the school grounds over the holidays, and so I volunteered to have it here on this beach!"

"A what?"

"A night market! With lots of stalls selling inexpensive stuff! It'll be so much fun, with all the cheap food, and cheap clothes!"

"Are you going to participate too, Wendy?" Mirajane asked, her signature eye smile in place.

"Of course!"

"Tch, what's the brat gonna do? Sell cheap surfboards from her old man's supplies?"

Wendy grins, a evil glint in her eyes. "As a matter of fact, Gajeel, _yes_. And guess who's going to be manning that stall?"

"...Fuck."

"Oh! I also volunteered for the bar to be providing the drinks!" she cheers, causing Laxus to look up with a start.

"I ain't gonna sponsor your school carnival, Wen."

"It's not a school carnival! It's a night market, and it's a part of my graduation project…" she mumbles, casting her eyes downwards. "Please, Laxus…?"

Laxus winces visibly as Wendy blinks at him, her eyes full of innocence and pleading. With a grunt, he offers a nod, causing Wendy to give a squeal of delight.

"The night market's going to be so amazing! There'll be so many people, and the beach will be so lively! I can just imagine it! _And_ it's going to be a perfect spot for a date!" she clasps her hands together, shooting the existing couples a glance, before her eyes sneakily shift to the two people by the bar.

Kinana's eyes widen as she catches Wendy's gaze, and she sees Cobra immediately averting his eyes from her peripheral vision. Wendy sends her a wink, and Kinana feels her cheeks heat up, reaching for an already spotless wineglass to polish.

As Wendy hops down from the table and begins to excitedly discuss the details of the night market with Lisanna, Kinana dares a peak at the flash of burgundy on the other side of the counter, whose ears were suspiciously red despite the nonchalant expression on his face. The blush on her face deepens as her mind unconsciously beginning to conjure different scenarios, Wendy's words resonating loudly in her head.

_A perfect spot for a… date…?_

* * *

**Glossary**

_point break_: an area where an underwater rocky point creates waves that are suitable for surfing


	9. 08: tandem surfing

Thank you so much for sticking around and I'm so sorry for the late update! Here's the next chapter! :)

Disclaimer: Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail

* * *

_Surf's Up!_

_08: tandem surfing_

The night market was soon ready for its grand opening, with the added muscle provided by the employees of the surf shack helping with setting up. Amidst the giggles of Wendy's young schoolmates at the attractive helpers and Sting's suspiciously successful attempts to spur them on, all the different stalls were set up and ready to go.

As the tanning beachgoers began to pack up and leave, both the surfers and bartenders began to lug the necessary items to their assigned stall, all while operating under the strict supervision of the overall in-charge, the tiny bluenette, Wendy.

"Sting! That's not your stall- _oh my god _get your dirty hands off of my classmates!" Cobra did nothing to hide the smirk that stretched across his face as Wendy marched over from the her position by the bar to physically remove Sting from where he did not belong. Hearing laughter beside him, Cobra turned to find his newest friend shaking her head at the interaction, her emerald eyes glinting with amusement. His gaze travelled to the box in her arms, and without a second thought, reached over to relieve her of the burden.

Kinana looked up at him quizzically, before offering a wide smile of gratitude, following along as he began his trek towards the temporary drinks stall.

"So what's in this box? I sure hope it's not from the stash at the back…" Cobra raised a brow, as Kinana offered another bark of laughter.

"Don't worry big guy, your alcohol's safe and sound. Besides, I don't want to get Wendy into trouble by serving alcohol to the kids."

"Kids?" Cobra snorted, placing the box by the foot of the table. "I reckon a couple are taller than you."

Kinana turned to glare at Cobra, before opening the box to empty its contents. "It's not like you're growing any taller either," she mumbled, picking out the juice boxes to stack them neatly on the side of the long rectangular table. The drinks stall was set up pretty simply, with two long white rectangular tables forming the counter and a tent overhead strung up with lights. Wendy had also strategically – as she had claimed – placed the mini surf shack directly opposite the drinks stall. Cobra's smirk only widened as he bent down to help her, removing the juice boxes and passing them to Kinana to stack them.

"Wendy, you're being extremely unfair! How come Cobra gets to flirt on the job while I'm punished with cleaning duty?!" Sting whines, breaking the duo from their work rhythm and causing a pretty blush to brighten Kinana's cheeks. Cobra stands abruptly, glowering at the blonde and opening his mouth to retort, when-

"You ruined the moment!" Wendy stomps angrily, delivering a punch to Sting's arm. "The difference is that you're sleazy and Cobra is genuine!"

The blush on Kinana's cheeks only seem to darken, and Cobra almost feels himself heat up as well. "I'll go grab some boards from the shack," he says instead, directing his statement at his violet haired companion rather than addressing his other friends. As Cobra heads off in the direction of the surf shack, he faintly hears Sting teasing Kinana even more, only resulting in flustered replies of 'there's nothing going on between us'.

Cobra staggered lightly in his step as the following unconscious thought drifted into his mind, and he straightened himself immediately, trying in vain to block the recurring voice.

_Nothing going on? Maybe it's time to change that._

* * *

With the lights under the white canvas resulting in seemingly glowing tents, and the vendors of stalls readily positioned behind their counters, the night market was soon in full swing, attracting not only the friends and families of the students, but also other beach patrons that had been attracted by the atmosphere. The usually serene evening beach was soon filled with loud chatter and the hustling of the crowd.

Wendy was beside herself with excitement, being in charge of the information and donation booth, surveying the results of her planning with a proud beam. The huge success of the drinks stall was especially satisfying, and she sent Laxus a smug grin as she caught his eye from where he sat near the back of his respective tent. Laxus only rolled his eyes and offered a nod to the young girl, agreeing that his participation was providing more profits that he had originally imagined.

Her eyes travelled to the shock of purple hair, busy tending to the never-ending stream of customers with a tireless smile on her face. Her fellow coworkers, Lisanna and Laki were also engrossed in their job, their hands full because of the continuous orders. Mirajane, on the other hand, was sitting beside Laxus at the back, counting the money that was already made and organizing the stock by her feet. Opposite them, at the mini surf shack, Gajeel was roped into the manning the stall as promised, and his maroon haired companion was aiding him in providing satisfactory customer service instead of annoyed growls. Sting and Rogue were also working in the tent, offering simple classes to interested children that were looking to start surfing. Natsu was lucky enough to be free from the first shift, and he was using that time wisely by spending it with Lucy.

Seeing Natsu and Lucy by the accessories stall and trying on couple rings reminded Wendy of the couple she was trying to match-make, and she quickly handed over her job to a classmate, bounding up to the drinks stall and slipping into the tent.

"Authorised personnel only, little girl," Laxus mused, as he watched the bluenette rush up to him with a twinkle in her eye that could only spell trouble. Wendy waved his apparent warning away, sidling up to the couple and giving them her signature eyesmile.

"Don't you think it's about time to change shifts, Laxus?" she suggested, as Laxus narrowed his eyes.

"Not really, why?"

"You see, with how hard your employees are working, it'd only make sense to give at least one of them some free time, don't you think?"

"Can't say I do, brat. They're already busy enough as the three of them, I don't think I can afford having any one leaving their post." He explains, but Mirajane decides to intervene before he could continue, a knowing glint in her eyes at Wendy's enthusiasm.

"And which employee do you propose should receive the first break?" she questions, leaning over Laxus to speak to Wendy.

Wendy winks conspiratorially, angling her head to the girl on the extreme left. "The one with the green eyes, of course."

Before Laxus could protest, Mirajane nods fervently. "I agree, her work attitude is enthusiastic and praiseworthy, she definitely deserves the break. Right?" She turns to her boyfriend, her bright smile laced with a threat. "Right, Laxus?"

"Mira…"

"Don't worry, I'm done with these calculations, we can both go replace her!"

Laxus sighs and nods reluctantly, knowing that he was fighting a battle he could not hope to win. "Do whatever you want."

"Awesome!" Wendy claps her hands together excitedly, turning to head back out of the tent. "I'll just go tell Cobra that he's relieved from his duties!" She giggles, and Laxus finally understands what the little bluenette was trying to achieve.

He turns to Mirajane as said bluenette disappears out the flap, shaking his head in defeat. "She's hanging around you way too much, Mira. It's scary how much she's picking up."

"What can I say, my dear Laxus," she laughs, rising from her chair. "I'm just an overwhelmingly positive influence."

* * *

"…Don't even try to tell me this wasn't planned." Cobra utters, as Kinana emerges from her tent right after he does. Kinana blushes but makes no move to deny, watching as he begins in the direction of the food stalls. Seeing how she was still rooted in her spot, Cobra turns his head slightly to call off his shoulder, "you coming?"

She immediately hurries over at his call, and the two continue their way down to the food stalls, all the while maintaining a light chatter. "Where are we going?"

"To get some of those chicken skewers, of course. I don't know about you but I'm starving!" he replies, marching over with eagerness in his stride. They soon arrived at the stall manned by two young girls, and one was taking orders while another was busy grilling as many sticks as she could on the tiny portable grill she had brought. Luckily for Cobra and Kinana, the queue was relatively short, and they were soon right in front of the counter. "How many skewers do you want?"

Eyeing the menu, she gave Cobra a cheeky grin. "10 for 100 jewels, right? Let's get 10!"

"I've always liked girls better when they aren't afraid to eat." Cobra chuckled.

Kinana's eyes widened at his implication, before she smirked. "You're lucky I live to eat, then."

Offering her a smirk of his own, Cobra turned back to the teen behind the counter, who was giggling at their flirting. "You heard her, kid. Let's have 10 chicken skewers."

"What sauce would you like with them?"

"Barbeque," Cobra ordered, shooting Kinana a questioning glance and receiving a confirming nod in response. They didn't have to wait long for their food to come, and the two were soon heading down on the trail while munching on the steaming skewers. "This is actually really good, I'm impressed."

"Wow, those girls must be awarded for making the almighty Cobra happy," Kinana laughed.

"Nah, they don't impress me. Their food does."

"There's a difference?"

"Of course! There are other people that impress me, however." He grinned, looking pointedly into Kinana's bright eyes and earning himself a satisfactory blush. Still blushing, Kinana turned to gobbling up the rest of her skewers instead, focusing on the food instead of on Cobra's face. Her hurried eating only caused some of the sauce to spill out onto the edge of her mouth, and Cobra took to exact opportunity to step on the pedal, lifting a thumb and brushing the excess sauce smoothly.

Kinana swore her heart jumped in surprise at his sudden action, especially as the pad of his finger grazed past her lips. She couldn't believe the surfer she had come to know over the past few weeks was openly flirting with her then, and she found that she enjoyed it tremendously, hoping that the day would never end.

"So, where to next?" he turned to her. Her eyes widened in surprised at his sudden question, still thinking about what he'd just did.

"Uh… um…" she avoided eye contact with him, glancing around the stalls before one caught her eye. A light smirk came across her face.

Cobra raised his eyebrows at her sudden confidence. "What?"

"Can I interest you in a duel?"

* * *

Glossary

_tandem surfing:_ two people riding one board. the smaller person is usually balanced above (often held above) the other person.


	10. 09: pop-up

going to finish up this story soon and start on my next one! :)

**Disclaimer:** Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail

* * *

_Surf's Up!_

_09: pop-up_

"That's it! You're going down, Kinana."

"I'd like to see you try," she smirked, her arms folded across her chest.

Cobra narrowed his eye at the board of balloons, raising a dart and biting down on his lip. Kinana had beaten him at every round of the carnival game they were at, the first round being an easy victory and every subsequent 'rematch' proving to be her victory. Wendy's classmate was snickering behind her hand as she watched the maroon haired male frown in concentration, trying to recover his manly pride at being beaten by his female companion.

With a snap of his wrist, he sent the dart flying, missing the aim of 100 points and bursting the balloon placed just below that was worth 50. He grimaced at the result, as Kinana reached around him for her own set of darts. He eyed her, sizing her up as an opponent, but she only giggled and gave him a wink.

Cobra's eye widened a fraction at her provocative gesture, trying in vain to ignore the thump of his heart. In his daze, he failed to realise she'd already thrown the dart, and a refreshing 'pop' followed by loud cheering snapped him out of his fixation on her winking expression as he focused onto the balloon board in front of him. Kinana had successfully targeted the 100-point balloon he had missed, thus making her the winner of yet another round.

"Come on Cobra, we're holding up the line with all these rematches," Kinana grinned, grabbing his arm and dragging him away as he could only stare blankly at the spot her dart had hit. "So, what shall I choose as my gift?"

He shifted his gaze onto the purple-haired girl in front of him, a finger on her chin as he face twisted into a contemplative suggestion.

Cobra winced. "I almost forgot we'd bet on giving the other a gift…"

Kinana only laughed lightly at this, the hand on his arm dropping way too soon for his liking.

"Well, I am a man of my word," he shrugged. "What would the beautiful lady like for a gift?"

"Hmm… oh! I know!" she lifted a finger and pointed it in the direction of an accessory store, grinning as she beckoned him along. He dragged his feet along, an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach as she began sifting through the hairbands. Picking out a simple green one that matched the colour of her emerald eyes, she carefully placed it on her head, turning to him with a smile.

"How does this one look?"

He shrugged an approval, because honestly, he felt she looked pretty enough with or without it. Not that he'd ever admit _that_ _pansy shit_ out loud.

"You know what? We should get one for you, too," she grinned.

"…There's really no need…"

"Oh!"

She lifted a particularly pink, _sparkly_, one out of the mix, her expression mischievous as she turned to him.

"Oh, no… oh, no, no, no…" he raised both hands in surrender, eye wide as her arms slowly came closer to his face. With a quick push, the pink _thing_ was wedged behind his ears, the glitter on it twinkling amidst his dark red hair. He narrowed his eye, not amused, as she bent over laughing, producing her phone and snapping a picture before he could realise what she'd done. "Hey!"

She quickly stuffed her phone back in the pocket at her butt, and Cobra could only swear in frustration as it reached forbidden territory. _You've really gotten soft, Cobra. _He ripped the offensive pink accessory out of his hair, running a hand through it to ensure it didn't mess up his style.

She giggled at his obvious annoyance, reaching up to take off her own hairband. "I'm just kidding, I won't get hairbands for us."

"Yay." he cheered dully.

Kinana chuckled again. She moved towards another section of the stall, her smile a bright one as a set of lace up faux leather bracelets caught her eye. All the bracelets were braided with thick black and white strips, varying only with the third colour. Without a moment's hesitation, she reached for two bracelets, one a dark purple and the other a deep red. She lifted them to Cobra, her cheeks tinted pink as she considered the implications of buying identical bracelets representative of their hair colours.

He didn't seem to get those implications, or if he did, chose to remain silent about them, as he simply nodded and paid the student manning the stall.

The two unknowingly found themselves walking further away from the festivities and towards the unoccupied areas of the beach, closer to the waves crashing against the shore.

Clearing her throat, Kinana halted in her steps, causing her companion to stop as well. He cocked an eyebrow questioningly at her, but she only bit her lip and thrust the purple counterpart of the bracelet at him. "Here."

He took the bracelet from her, tan fingertips brushing her pale ones, before he lifted it up to closer inspect it. His gaze flickered to the maroon one now loosely fit around her slender right wrist, as realisation clouded his features and the tips of his ears burned red. "Oh."

"Y… you don't have to think of it as anything special!" she exclaimed, waving her arms frantically. Cobra's gaze was fixated on the band around her wrist however, watching as it rattled with her rough movements. "I… it's just a… a friendship band!"

"…friendship band, huh…" He slipped his left hand through the bracelet, and it proved a snugger fit on his thicker wrist. "Well, pardon me if I'm not satisfied with the friendship."

"What?"

He gave her a signature smirk, before reaching for the hand now limply laying by her side. He slipped his left hand into her right, vaguely aware of the way their bracelets knocked together at the movement. He watched as Kinana's eyes widened and a pretty pink blush bloomed across her face at the action, before he tugged her along to continue their strolling down the beach.

"…Are you taking the bracelets as a confession?" she asked him, her gaze focused on the sand slipping past her slippers and in between her toes.

Cobra glanced down at their lightly held hands, before he intertwined their fingers firmly. Her head shot up at him, surprised, but he only grinned. "Of course not. The guy should always make the first confession."

"That's awfully patriarchal."

"Is it now?"

"Well, guys don't _always_ have to make the first move, that's a technique from the past…"

* * *

"Do. You. See. That?!" Wendy squealed loudly, gripping Gajeel's arm tightly.

"No way…" Sting muttered, his jaw dropping at the scene. Rogue only smiled serenely.

"Looks like the grump has finally found someone to cheer him up," Gajeel mused.

"Says the other grump," Lucy teased.

"Well, at least Gajeel found someone to cheer him up, too," Natsu offered. Gajeel frowned at him and raised an arm to hit the pinkette, but was thankfully restricted by Levy.

"They're holding hands!" Wendy all but screamed, her hands clasped tightly together as she watched the budding couple from her vantage point at the stall of the surf shack.

"Brat," Laxus called, causing the group to turn to him in shock, unaware of his arrival from the opposite stall. "You really need to stop hanging around Mira."

Wendy rolled her eyes at his words, turning back to focus on the couple on the beach. She sighed happily. "So romantic… Wish I had a boyfriend, too."

At this, all eyes turned to their youngest friend, the boys unconsciously balling their hands into fists at the thought of Wendy dating.

Levy patted her fellow bluenette's head lightly as she noted the change in the boys' demeanour. "For your future boyfriend's sake, I think it's too early for you to be talking about dating."

* * *

**Glossary**

_pop-up:_ going from lying on the board to standing, all in one jump


End file.
